Improvement in stands for showing cloaks



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

PATRICK n.- OHARA, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN STANDS FOR SHOWING;v CLOAKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 209,917, dated November12, 1878; application iiled d September 21, 1878.

To all whom# may concern.-

Be it known that I, PATRICK HENRY OHARA, of New York city, in the countyof New York and State of New York, 'have invented a new and useful Standfor Showing Gloaks, Sac.; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full and exact description there. of, reference being had vto theaccompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

Previous to my invention it has been customary, in establishments whereladies cloaks and analogous articles are sold, to show such goods eitherby spreading them out upon -the iloor and piling them thereupon, (fromwhich they have to be taken and replaced in the cases,) or displayingeach article in turn upon the person of a lady hired for such purpose.

The latter mode is, of course, more desirable so far as an attractiveshowing of the goods is concerned, because the person ou whom thearticle is put can not only show it just as it will appear when worn byany purchaser, but can show it in different positions relatively to thelight of the room, the eye of the observer, &c. But this mode of showingsuch goods is so much more expensive than that irst mentioned that themore general practice is that Jfirst described. .lo this mode ofexhibitin g the articles to the customer there are, however, someserious objections to overcome, which are the main objects of my presentinvention.

When the cloaks or other analogous articlesv are spread out on the lloorthey frequently appear to disadvantage, on account of the manner inwhich the light happens to strike them, and sometimes, also, because ofthe wrong positions in which the observer may stand; and, besides beingalways in an unnatural position, they accumulate in piles on the door,and diiferent parts of the room have to be used in showing a largeassortment. In this mode of showing the goods is also this objection,viz: that, no matter how inconvenient it may be, the articles shouldalways be gathered up and replaced, because, even if properly coveredover for protection during the night, there is danger in leaving them onthe door, since any leakage of water in the house that would wet thefloor would also wet the goods.

I propose to provide a simple and economic means of displaying suchgoods to the buyer,

which, while it will possess nearly all the adjustable top, whereby acloak or other similar article may be arranged so as to be looked downupon at different angles and shifted about into different lights, aswill be hereinafter more fully explained.

To enable any one skilled in the artto make and use my new device forshowing cloaks and analogous articles, I will proceed to describe theconstruction and operation of one of them as made and used by me nowwith great satisfaction and advantage, referring by letters to the'accompanying drawings, in whichl Figure l is a perspective view of theapparatus or contrivance with a ladies7 cloak displayed thereupon 5 andFig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, with the adjustable top in ahorizontal position, though shown also by dotted lines in the sameposition in which it appears at Fig. 1.

In the several figures the same part will be found designated by thesame letter of reference.

AA is a horizontal frame, by preference about square in contour, andsupported by four (more or less) legs, B, which are provided withfurniture-casters, in order 4that the structure or contrivance may bemost easily rolled about from place to place on the oor.

The square frame A is provided with cross pieces C, framed in, and hashinged to its front piece a plane top or table-surface, D, madepreferably of wood covered with cloth, somewhat after the fashion of thetop of a li brary or card-table. This tabledike top por. tion serves toconstitute the surface on which the cloak or other analogous article tobe shown is to be spread out, as illustrated at F, Fig. l of thedrawing,and it has hinged to its under surface a holder-frame, E, (see Fig. 2,)the lower end of which has legs adapted to engage with ratchet-likedepressions t' in the cross-pieces C of the frame, in such a mannerthat, by setting these lugs in engagelnent with different ones of saiddepressions, the top piece D may be set and held at different angles tothe horizontal frame A, (or at different degrees of obliquity,) asoccasion or circumstances may require.

When the top D is closed down or in its horizontal position, theholder-frame E folds down also into a horizontal position, as seen atFig. 2.

The height of the frame abovel the floor (or its castered feet, should,of course, he such that the observer may lool; down upon the goodsdisplayedsay from ten to eighteen inches, as the judgment of theconstructor and use may indicate.

In the use of a contrvance sueh as shown and described the article to beshown is spread out on the table-like surface D, when the frame may beshoved round to any desired place in the room for inspection of thegoods. One after another of the articles may, of course, be placed on,one on top of another, to show different styles, Sac., and, when deemedexpedient to get a different light on the goods and present them indierent aspects to the eye of the observer, the adjustable top D may beset and held at various degrees of inclination,

either with one or many articles upon it.

Among other advantages, one great one in the use of such a contrivanccis that, after a cloak or pile of goods may have been displayed on it ata certain locality, another lot may be immediately shown at the samespot by rolling out of the way the loaded frame and using anothersimilar but empty one.

The show-room may be provided with several such show'frames, which maythus be used with great convenience and advantage.

When any number of such cases or showframes shall have been covered withcloaks they may be rolled to any part of the room, and, if it be notconvenient to replace the goods on their former receptacles, they may becovered over on the frames, and be left thereon Without risk of damagefrom any water that might flood the iloor of the room. This, also, is anadvantage in the use of such a contrivance.

The size, proportions, and shape of the apparatus, as Well as itsdetails of construction, may, ofcourse, be varied to some extent withoutdeparting from the gist of my invention, and the structure may be madeand used with more or less advantage without the feature ot' theadjustability of the top D, though when made with this. feature thething combines more advantages and conveniences in use.

Having so fully explained the construction and operation of my neweontrivance for the display of cloaks and other analogous goods in thesales-room that any skilled person can make and use the same, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

Acloak-exhibiting stand consisting of a low platform mounted uponcaster-legs, adapting it to be shifted from place to place, and having acloth-covered adjustable top, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.-

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 18th dayof September, 1878.

J. N. MCINTIRE, J Aeon FELBEL.

